A gardener, garden designer and architect. Paxton was born near Woburn in Bedfordshire. His first lake, at Battlesden, was made at the age of 19. In 1826 he became gardener to the 6th Duke of Devonshire at Chiswick House and then at Chatsworth. Joseph Paxton is best understood as the inheritor of 'Loudon's mantle', as horticulturalist, publisher, advocate of public parks and designer of conservatories. Paxton's greatest project was the Crystal Palace. He also worked at Birkenhead Park, the People's Park in Halifax, Princes Park in Liverpool, Upton Park in Slough, Baxter Park in Dundee, the public park in Dunfermline and Hesketh Park in Southport. When Joseph Paxton died, an obituary in The Builder compared him to J C Loudon. It was an apt comparison.
Gardens designed by Paxton, Joseph
